Improvement in flower-stands



) B. SHELDON.

, PIant-Stahd.- v

4" Patented May 9,4865.

NJETERs. FHDTO-LITHOGRAPNER WASHINGTON. D 04 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

P. B. SHELDON, OF PRATTSBURG, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEM ENT IN FLOWER-STANDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,664, dated May 9, 1865 antedated May 1, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, P. B. SHELDON, of Prattsburg, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Stand for GrowingPlants and Flowers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification Figure 1 being an elevation of my improved flower-stand; Fig. 2, a plan thereof; Fig. 3, a plan of the lower bearing of one of the arms on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4., an elevation oi'a portion of the supporting standard or shaft, together with the lower bearings of one set of arms and their support attached thereto.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in the employment of one or more sets of radial arms secured on a vertical standard or shaft so arranged as to turn horizontally and to be adjusted up and down to adapt the arms to any position of the flower-stand, while at the same'time, when thus adjusted, the arms shall be retained in proper position against accidental turning by a means hereinafter described. To secure these results a support, A, of any convenient construction, resting on legs or otherwise, is provided, to

" which is secured a vertical cylindrical standard or shaft, B, ofsuitable height and size for the purpose designed. To this standard are secured one or more sets of radialarms, O G O, of suitable length, situated at proper distances apart, as represented, the number of arms in a set being arranged to suit necessity or taste, three only being shown in the drawings. These arms may be made of any form or style; but some ornamental design, as represented, is the most appropriate to produce apleasin g effect. They are provided at their outer ends with bases or rings a a a for supporting the flower-pots. Thearms are secured to the standard by means of bearings b b b andc 00, which form flat disks or rings, fitting around it, and of a size sufficient to furnish some surface for them to rest on each other. The lower bearings, b b b, rest on a sliding support, D, that forms a ring, fitting around the standard, and

is secured to it at any position by means of a set-screw, d, or in some equivalent manner. By this arrangement the arms have afree turning motion horizontally around the standard, and are also adjustable up and down by means of the sliding support 1). If it is desirable for the stand to rest away from the wall of a room, all the arms may be expanded equally on different sides of the standard, as represented in the drawings. If it is to stand closely against a plain wall, the arms may all be turned on one side in a half-circle at different angles; or, if it is desirable for itto occupy the smallest space in a corner of a room, by turning the arms around away from both walls it is perfectly adapted to its place. At any time when the stand is not in use each set of arms may be turned together all in one direction, and thus be out of the way. By means of the vertical adjustment of the arms they are raised or lowered to any position to suit convenience or taste, so that the flower-pots supportedv by them may be brought to a level with any window or raised to any height desired. This adjustment also enables the arms to avoid any projection in a room or other place in which the stand may be situated by rising above or falling below it, and thus to economize space to the greatest degree possible. Thus the stand is perfectly adapted to any position it may occupy by its universal adjustability, and it forms a very useful as well as ornamental device. In order to retain the arms in position when thus properly adjusted, the upper face of the support D, and also both upper and lower faces of the lower bearings, b b b, except the upper face of the topmost bearing, which is plain, have flutes or corrugations ffj radiating from the central axis of the bearings, the corrugations of one face fitting into the flutes of the adjacent one, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. These flutes and corrugations are of just sufficient depth to hold the arms by their friction from being turned accidentally by any slight foree, but not such as to prevent them from being readily turned when proper action is applied to them. By this arrangement either the whole of one set of arms may be turned at once by applying the power to the lower arm, or any single arm may be turned independently of the others. Thus not only are the arms securely retained in place, but at the same time a whole set or a single one may be turned to any position, and the turning is effected with but slight effort.

The upper bearings, c 0 0, might also be provided with flutes and corrugations in thesame manner; but this is not usually necessary, as the lower ones serve to hold the arms with sufficient adhesion.

The top of the standard B may be mounted with any ornamental design that will have a pleasing effect. In the drawings a cap-piece, E, is represented as secured to it, within which is suspended a basket, g.

To put the stand in the most compact form for transportation, the cap-piece E is taken off, when the arms are easily removed and packed together. The standard B may also be so arranged as to be disconnected from the support A.

The whole arrangement is very simple and perfectly adapted to its purpose, while the cost is comparatively small, as most of the parts may be made of cast metal.

I claim- Providing the bearin gs b b b of the arms and their support D with radial flutes and corrugations, or their equivalent, for the purpose of retaining the arms in place at any adjustment thereof, and also allowing them to turn when necessary action is applied, substantially as herein specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

R. F. Oseoon, J AY HYA'IT. 

